Process and apparatus for the wet-treatment of liquid-permeable materials



May 12, 1970 H. FLEISSNER 3,511,066

' PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE WET-TREATMENT OF LIQUID-PERMEABLE MATERIALS Filed July 51. 19s? Inventor:

AI'I'DRIV XF United States Patent 3,511,066 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE WET-TREAT= MENT OF LIQUID-PERMEABLE MATERIALS Hans Fleissner, Egelsbach, near Frankfurt am Main, Germany, assignor to Vepa A.G., Basel, Switzerland Filed July 31, 1967, Ser. No. 657,250 Claims priority, application Germany, July 30, 1966, V 31,623; Aug. 31, 1966, V 31,829 Int. Cl. D06f 29/00.

US. C]. 68-18 24 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to process and apparatus for the Wet-treatment of liquid-permeable materials. The apparatus of the present disclosure comprises a liquid container containing a treatment bath, a conveying means at least partially immerged in said treatment bath, said conveying means communicating at its faces With at least one liquid-collecting compartment of said liquid container, inlet means for introducing the material to be treated to the conveying means, pump means for conveying the treatment liquid from the liquid-collecting compartment to the treatment bath and outlet means for removing the material from the apparatus. According to the present process, the material to be treated is penetrated by the treatment liquid as a result of the level difference of the liquid outside the conveying means and the liquid inside the conveying means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the wet-treatment of liquid-permeable materials, such as needled felts, tufteds, nonwovens, woven and knitted fabrics, two, slivers and the like. More particularly, the present invention concerns the Washing and impregnating of running lengths of textile materials guided on a conveying means, preferably a sieve drum, which is penetrated by the treatment liquid.

Apparatus provided with sieve drums subjected to a suction draft for washing and impregnating textile materials, especially loose fibrous materials, are Well known. It is also well known that the Washing and/or impregnating effect on such devices is very intensive and uniform. With the known devices, the suction draft is produced by one or several pumps which are arranged in the sieve drums and the liquid is discharged from the sieve drums at their faces. Also, sieve drum bowls are well known in which the pumping device is situated outside the sieve drum and in which a suction tube extends into the sieve drum or is connected to the sieve drum bottom. The known devices generally have, as a maximum, relatively small working widths of about 1 to 1.5 meters.

It is also possible to design such suction drum bowls with the pumps arranged in the drums and with any desired working width. However, in order to obtain a suitable suction draft, the installed pump capacity becomes very large and with large working widths a plurality of pumps must be provided in the sieve drums.

An object of the present invention is to avoid the prior art disadvantages in the wet-treatment of materials, particularly textile materials.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which has the advantages of the known suction drum bowls and which is suitable for uniformly treating large working widths of about 3 to 5 m. and even up to about m. and higher. Such large working widths are required, for example, for carpet floor coverings.

3,511,066 Patented May 12, 1970 A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved process and apparatus for the wet-treatment of textile materials wherein a more uniform and effective penetration of the material being treated by the treatment liquid is achieved.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Pursuant to the present invention, it has been found that the above-mentioned disadvantages may be eliminated and a much improved process and apparatus for the wet-treatment of textile materials may be obtained by maintaining, during the wet-treatment process, a level difference between the liquor which is supplied to the mateu'al and the liquor which runs off of the material. Thus, the material is penetrated solely by the level difference of the liquor outside the conveying element, for example, a sieve drum, and the liquor inside the conveying element.

The treatment effect can be increased if during the treatment the material is squeezed, preferably several times. For this purpose, squeeze rollers which are distributed over the circumference of the drum can be synchronized to the sieve drum. An intensification of the wet-treatment effect can also be achieved if the material is additionally subjected to a pulsating flow. This pulsating flow can be obtained by moving displacing elements or by causing the material length to flutter or to swing.

The design of the apparatus of the present invention wherein the material is penetrated solely by the level difference of the liquid outside the conveying means and the liquid inside the conveying means represents a substantial simplification over prior art devices and accordingly, is inexpensive when compared to prior art devices. The apparatus of the present invention is provided with at least one liquid-permeable conveying means, preferably a sieve drum, and means which ensure a level difference between the liquor supplied to the material being treated and the liquor running off the material. This can be achieved by providing at least one bottom of the conveying means with at least one opening which permits the liquid which penetrates the material and flows into the conveying means to flow out of said conveying means. The conveying means may be partially or completely immersed in the treatment bath.

A particularly effective design of the apparatus of the present invention can be obtained if the liquid container surrounding the conveying means and the liquid-collecting container are designed as one single container. This can be achieved by subdividing the liquid container surrounding the conveying means by at least one partition, which is sealed against the sieve drum, into a treatment compartment and at least one liquid-collecting compartment and by providing a pump which maintains a differential liquid level in the compartments of the liquid container which forces the liquid out of the liquid-collecting compartment or compartments into the treatment compartment.

It is advantageous, especially with large working widths of 3 m. and more, to provide at the two ends of the conveying means, which preferably is a sieve drum, a partition means which is sealed against the conveying means so that the sieve drum may be provided at both sides with drain openings and so that the liquid may flow 3 into the two outer liquid collecting compartments of the liquid container.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, it is desirable to synchronize to each liquid-collecting compartment, of the liquid container, a pump which conveys the treatment liquid which has flown out of the conveying means into the treatment compartment. In general, it is sufficient if at least one pump, preferably a vane-type pump is arranged in one opening of each partition.

For delicate materials, for example, card sliver, top sliver and the like, it is advantageous to arrange a perforated jacket and/or a perforated trough around the conveying means in the treatment compartment and extended at a distance from said conveying means. The perforated jacket is provided to avoid transverse currents near the material being treated. By utilizing the perforated jacket or perforated trough, the liquid supply to the conveying means is equalized and a current which is essentially radial to the drum is produced.

If the apparatus of the present invention is used to treat materials which differ greatly with respect to their liquid permeability, the full pump capacity may not be required. Also, with very permeable materials, a smaller liquid level difference is sufiicient and only a small amount of pump capacity is necessary to convey the treatment liquid from the liquid-collecting compartment to the treatment bath. Small pump capacities can be achieved either by providing the pumps with a variable drive or by switching off one pump. In order to render it possible to switch off one pump in the case a two-sided liquid drain is provided out of the conveying means, it is suggested, according to the present invention, to connect the two liquid-collecting compartments of the liquid container by means of at least one compensating pipe means. If one pump is switched off, it is only necessary to close the suction opening of the pump. This can be accomplished, for example, by means of a cover which can be displaced in the axial direction on the pump shaft. Through the compensating pipe the liquid of both liquidcollecting compartments can be returned into the treatment compartment by means of only one pump.

In order to make it possible to handle materials with various working widths on the present apparatus, it is necessary to cover that part of the conveying means not covered with material with a collar. However, it is also possible to set a different working width without such a collar by providing at least one partition means disposed in such a way that it can be displaced axially to the shaft of the conveying means.

If it is not necessary to switch off one pump, the two pumps may be supported on one joint pump shaft to which a joint drive is synchronized. Especially when working with smaller working widths, it is advantageous to provide for a joint pump shaft. With large working widths, it is more advantageous to support each pump on a separate pump shaft and to provide it with a separate and/or variable drive.

-It is also possible to filter the treatment liquor by subdividing the liquid collecting compartment by means of a filter through which the liquid which has been collected must flow before it reaches the conveying range of the pump and is pumped back into the treatment bath. The apparatus of the present invention can be used for washing out unfixed dyestuffs and auxiliary agents, and for the application of an impregnating liquid which, for example, may contain the substance to be cured for bonding needled felt carpets.

For textile materials which have a pile, which should not be compressed, for example, tufted carpets, it is advantageous if the apparatus is provided with at least one conveying means, preferably a sieve drum, which is completely or partially disposed outside of the treatment liquid. In such a case, the material to be treated is guided over the upper portion of the conveying means which is situated outside the treatment liquid and i sprayed with the treatment liquid by a spraying, jetting or sprinkling device. Using this type of treatment, a good and uniform penetration of the material by the liquid is ensured. The device for sprinkling the materal may comprise, for example, a container with at least a partially perforated bottom, the perforations extending over substantially the whole working width of the conveying means disposed therebelow. In addition several squeeze rollers may be provided at the surface of the conveying means and synchronized to said conveying means to intensify the liquid penetration of the material by squeezing and thus to correspondingly increase the treatment effect.

Another eifective arrangement of the apparatus according to the present invention comprises a sieve drum or another conveying means which is partially immersed in the treatment liquid, in which apparatus the conveying means is substantially embraced by the material to be processed so that the part of the conveying means which is situated outside of the treatment liquid as well as the part of the conveying means which is situated in the treatment liquid is covered with the material being treated. With this particular kind of material guidance, it is desirable in accordance with the present invention to jet, spray or sprinkle the material being treated at that portion which is being guided outside of the treatment liquid and to cause the material which is in contact with the treatment liquid to be penetrated by said treatment liquid as a result of the liquid level difference between the liquid outside the conveying means and that inside the conveying means.

When treating materials which are relatively well permeable to the treatment liquid, a good penetration is readily obtained with a conveying means, for example, a sieve drum, which is only partially immersed in the treatment liquid. With thicker materials, for example, needled felt carpets, it may be necessary to immerse the sieve drum deep into the treatment liquid so that a large liquid level difference and thus a large pressure difference is produced between the inside and the outside of the sieve drum which eifects a better penetration of the material by the treatment liquid. With such a design, it is possible to work with relatively small liquid quantities if liquid displacing elements are arranged above the conveying means. For intensifying the washing effect, it is advantageous if the surface of the displacing element directed toward the material length is designed in such a way that a current is produced toward said material. This can be achieved, for example, by providing the displacing element with a step-type surface which extends toward the material being treated. Such a displacing element may also be arranged between the portion of the material length being fed to the apparatus and the portion being discharged where the material is freely guided in the treatment liquid. Similarly with this displacement element, it is advantageous to profilate the surfaces of said element directed toward the material length.

A pulsating flow toward the material length which is guided in the treatment liquid can be obtained if the displacing element which is disposed between two portions of the material length is moved in a vibrating or swinging fashion. It is also possible to obtain a pulsating flow at that portion of the material length being fed to the conveying means and at that portion being discharged from the conveying means by utilizing moving elements which act upon the material length, for example, a beater roll. By means of these elements, the material length is caused to swing or vibrate so that a pulsating alternate flow is obtained by the motion of the material length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become fully understood from the detailed description hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein,

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wash bowl according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the wash bowl of the present invention according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus according to the present invention utilizing a sprinkling system; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of still a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various views to designate like parts, the apparatus of the present invention according to FIG. 1 comprises a material 1 guided on a sieve drum 2 almost completely immersed in a treatment bath 3. For feeding the material 1 to the sieve drum and for drawing said material off of the drum, rollers 4 and 5 are synchronized to said sieve drum. The sieve drum at its two faces is open so that the treatment liquid may flow out of the sieve drum into lateral collecting compartments 6 and 7. These collecting compartments are separated from the faces of the sieve drum by partitions 8. In these partitions, the sieve drum is supported in a slide ring 9 at its circumference. Pumps 10 convey the liquid out of the lateral collecting compartments back into the treatment bath 3. For equalizing the flow conditions, a sieve sheet 11 is provided in the treatment bath. Each pump 10 is provided with a separate motor 13 which is mounted to a container 12. A sieve drum drive 14 is connected, for example, via a pinion 15 which engages with a toothed wheel of the sieve drum 2. As a result of the resistance offered by the material 1 to be processed, a liquid level difference is produced between the liquid of the treatment bath 3 and that in the sieve drum. The material being treated is penetrated by the treatment liquid as a result of the liquid level difference alone and without a pump being required. The pump capacity is only used for conveying the liquid out of the collecting compartments 6 and 7 and back into the treatment bath.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the sieve drum 2 is immersed deeply into the treatment liquid so that a substantial liquid level difference is produced. Above the sieve drum 2, liquid displacing elements 16 are situated. The material 1 is guided on rollers 4, 5, 17 and 18 and on the sieve drum 2 through the treatment bath. The surfaces of the displacing elements 16 directed toward the material 1 are profiled in such a way as to direct the liquid flow at these surfaces toward the material being treated. Another displacing element 19 which is movable produces a pulsating current near the surface of the material 1 by its to-and-fro motions. The treatment bath similarly as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 and part of the treatment liquid is replaced by fresh treatment liquid. The fresh treatment liquid is sprayed via a nozzle pipe 20 against the material 1 immerging from the bath. In this embodiment, another roller 21 is arranged between the rollers 4 and 5. This roller prevents liquid from entering into the sieve drum at that portion not covered by the material being treated and permits at the same time a squeezing of the material between the rollers 4, 5 and 21.

In the apparatus according to FIG. 4, the material is guided on the upper side of the sieve drum 2 and is sprinkled with the treatment liquid through the perforated bottom of a liquid container 22 disposed above the sieve drum. The liquid dropping onto the material 1 penetrates said material and this penetration is intensified by the use of squeeze rollers 23. The container 12 serves for collecting the treatment liquid in this embodiment of the present invention. The treatment liquid collected in container 12 is pumped upwards. to container 22 by a pump 10. Squeeze rollers 24 serve to dehydrate the material 1. Container 12 is also provided with a filter means 11A through which the treatment liquid passes before it reaches the suction range of the pump means. Also, in FIGS. 2 and 4, an equalizing conduit or compensating pipe means 24 is shown. Thus, the liquid can flow from the left collecting tank into the right tank through the equalizing conduit until the level is the same in both tanks. As previously stated, the use of an equalizing conduit makes it possible to employ only one pump. FIG. 2 also shows the use of a collar 25 which makes it possible to handle materials of various working widths. The collar is telescoped so that it can be extended over the outer surface of the drum to a greater or lesser extent. However, it is also possible to handle materials of various working widths by using at least one partition means 8A which can be axially disposed with respect to the shaft of the sieve drum means.

In the apparatus according to FIG. 5, the effects of the apparatus according to FIGS. 1 and 4 are combined. In this apparatus, the sieve drum 2 is partially immersed in the treatment bath 3 and is almost completely embraced by the material 1. That portion of the material 1 not in contact with the treatment liquid is processed by means of spray tubes. Fresh treatment liquid may again be sprayed out of spray tubes 20 onto the material at the outlet of the apparatus for rinsing said material. Also, in this embodiment, squeeze rollers 23 are correlated to the sieve drum 2 for intensifying the treat-ment effect.

Since modifications of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact constitution shown and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for the wet-treatment of materials which comprises a liquid container divided by at least one partition means into a treatment chamber and at least one liquid-collecting chamber, said treatment chamber containing a treatment liquid, a conveying means rotatably disposed in the treatment chamber and at least partially immersed in the treatment liquid, said conveying means communicating at, at least one of its faces with the liquid-collecting chamber for discharging the treatment liquid from the inside of the conveying means to said liquid-collecting chamber, inlet means for introducing the material to be treated to the conveying means, pump means for conveying the treatment liquid from the liquid-collecting chamber to the treatment chamber and outlet means for removing the material from the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the partition means is sealed against the conveying means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid container is divided by partition means into a treatment chamber and two liquid-collecting chambers each of said collecting chambers communicating with respective faces of the conveying means, and a pump means provided for each of said liquid-collecting chambers for conveying the treatment liquid to the treatment chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the two liquidcollecting chambers of the liquid container are connected by at least one compensating pipe means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein roller means are correlated to the surface of the conveying means at the inlet and the outlet of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein sieve sheet means are provided in the treatment chamber below the conveying means to equalize the flow of the treatment liquid to said conveying means.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a filter means is provided in the liquid-collecting chamber through which the treatment liquid passes before it reaches the suction range of the pump means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an adjustable collar is provided at the surface of the conveying means to provide for materials with varying working widths.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one partition means is displaced axially to the drum shaft for establishing different working widths for the material to be treated.

10. The apparatus of claim .1, wherein the conveying means is a sieve drum.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveying means is at least partially disposed outside of the treatment liquid, in an undivided liquid container, the inlet and outlet means are correlated to the conveying means such that the material is conveyed on the upper portion of the conveying means outside of the treatment liquid and liquid-distributing means are provided above the conveying means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one squeeze roller mean-s is correlated to the surface of the conveying means on the upper portion thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the lower portion of the liquid container communicates with the liquid-distributing means and the pump means conveys the treatment liquid from the lower portion of said liquid 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveying means is completely immersed in the treatment liquid of the treatment chamber, said treatment chamber being provided with a liquid-displacing zone which communicates with the treatment chamber above the conveying means and roller means are provided for conveying the material to and from the conveying means through the liquid-displacing zone.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the surface of the liquid-displacing zone is stepped in such a way as to produce a liquid flow directed toward the material being treated.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a movable displacing means is disposed in the liquid-displacing zone between the material being conveyed to and from the conveying means, the motions of said displacing means producing a pulsating flow of the treatment liquid.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein movable elements act upon the material being treated at the inlet and the outlet of the apparatus, said elements causing the material to swing or vibrate.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the liquid-displacing zone is a substantially vertically extending channel and said roller means include spaced-apart rollers provided at the surface of the conveying means below the liquid-displacing zone and spaced-apart rollers provided above the liquid-displacing zone, said rollers providing a conveying surface to and from the conveying means through said liquid-displacing zone.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein an additional roller is provided between the spaced-apart rollers associated with the conveying means, said additional roller preventing the liquid from entering into the conveying means at that portion not covered with the material being treated and cooperating with each of said spaced-apart rollers to permit a squeezing of the material being treated between said rollers.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein a spraying means is provided above the liquid-displacing zone and associated with the material being removed from said liquid-displacing zone.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein both sides of the liquid-displacing zone is provided wth step-type surfaces which extend towards the material being conveyed therebetween, to and from the treatment chamber.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the surfaces of the displacing means are stepped and extend towards the material being conveyed between said surfaces and those of the liquid-displacing zone.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,845,775 2/1932 Zavertnik et al. 68205X 3,019,630 2/1962 Fleissher et al. 68l8 X FOREIGN PATENTS 213,709 3/1958 Australia. 118,084 6/1930 Austria.

62,012 4/ 1892 Germany. 746,591 8/1944 Germany. 94,403 8/ 1959 Norway.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 68-22, 62, 184 

